Target



Dec. 6, 1927. 19652,062

J. F. sTAUFFER TARGET Filed May 23, 1927 3 SheelS-Sheeb l 'llllllllllcL/a/m FSM ff/ef INVENTO R m BY j O ATTORNEY Dec. 6, 1927. 1,652,062

J. F. sTAUFFER TARGET Filed May 23, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,fa/af ///A 1WITNESS: m,

ATTORNEY Dec. 6v, 1927. 1,652,062

J. F. sTAuFFER TARGET Filed May 23. 1927 s sheets-Sheet 5 Slm 95!811614! 6" Sofi.'

Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

`drop curves, up curves,

UNITED STATESI PATENT 1,652,062 OFFICE.

JOHN l'. STAUFFEB, Ol' TUTWILEB, MISSISSIPPI.

TARGET.

Application' med lay 2 3,

This invention relates to a tryout target for determining the skill ofbaseball players to give an accurate record of their skill in pitching,throwing or various qualifications of a good player, that may betabulated 1n a form so as to indicate to a manager of a team the ratingof any, player. I provide a mantlet of substantially concave form with acentral panel and extensions angularly related thereto formingyasubstantial target for a lpitcher or other player in delivering a balleither from the pitchers box or some part of the baseball field, theseveral partsof the central panel being iorm-ed in squares of threerows, five squares deep, with appropriate indicia to indicate the pointof delivery o a ball delivered to a dummy stationed at the plate. Theseindicia form means of tabulating on a record sheet of characteristicdesign the accuracy of the player, showing any Idesired number ofthrows,

or any break ball that may be thrown by the player, thus giving ageneral testof the delivery ability of ythe player. The arrangementofthe panels permit the pitcher to be ordered to throw a certain kind ofa curve at a certain indicated spot on the" target and his percentage ofhits found immediately by the operator of the target who tabulates therecord on the record sheet.' V

I am aware that various devices have heretofore been proposed fordetermining the skillof a player of vbaseball or other game,

but it is my object to afford a cheap struc ture which may be easilyinstalled on a playground and be provided with substantial constructionfor withstandin the hard use to which it must be subjecte withoutforming a'displeasing appearance. It is evident that a system of thiskind will permit the manager of a baseball team to form a conclusiveopinion as to the merits ,o the pitcher or other player who may besubjected to a test with f my apparatus. Moreover, the apparatuspermits` the manager to Idetermine the fitness of a player as t0 hiscondition at any giventime forl entering a game, or testing young talenta mana engage as to their fitness. or training for the team.

.In carrying out the invention' I mount a back stop or mantlet withacentral mattressl formed of wire gauze on the back, and a canvastrontand sides, mounted by lacestraight balls, out curves, in curves,

forv er may wish toA 1927. Serial No. 193,-605.

work in a steel work frame, the sloping sides' of which form a 45 anglewith the center part of the mantlet, thus forming a concavev back stopwhich receives the impact of the balls. In front of this the field isprovided with a sloping bowl, the walls of which converge toward acentral point which forms alball receptacle adjacent to which is a pipelarge enough to freely transmit theball, and depressed 1n the earth withits end adjacent the pitchers box and at suliiciently low depression tocarry the ball by gravity from the bowl where it drops after impact withthe mantlet and is automatically delivered in a cup accessible from thetop inl front of the itchers box. r

y invention therefore comprises a target having an elastic surface andof concave formation placed adjacent to the catchers posit1on in thegame of baseball, said target being provided with'indicia in a pluralltyof vertical rows to indicate the accuracy of a pitcher or other playersdelivery of the ball, and automatic means for deliverying the ball afterits rebound-from the target to the pitcher for further use. It embodiesalso other features, the novelty of which will hereinafter be definitelydescribed and specifically indicated in the ap ended claims.

In the accompanying rawings:

Figure 1 represents a target of mycimproved desi Figure 2 1s a crosssection of the same on the plane 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section on the vertical plane 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail illustrating the mode of mounting my ball cushion.

Figure 5 is a record sheet fora tryout order which will be found usefulin connection with my invention.

Figure 6 is a form of record tryout sheet to determine a playersqualification.

iReferring now specically to the drawings, Figure 3 indicates theposition of a striker, standing on the plate in front of the mantlet orback stop against which the ball is thrown. This player is shown asholdin a bat and is merely a dummy or image o a player, of which Iemploy two pes Aone for a right hand striker and the o er or a left handstriker. Immediately in front of the back stop the field is dug u toform a. sloping wall 1, adjacent to whic is the end ward the pitchersbox at a desired angle to rmit the ball to gravitate readily from thewl' 3 into which the ball drops after impact with the mantlet ,4. At theend adjacent the pitchers box the earth is scooped out and lined ifnecessary with a cylindrical wall 5. The distance from the mantlet tothe pitchers stand may be ft. and the ball pit may be placed 10 ft. infront of its limit. The covering of the 'center panel of the mantletispreferably formed of stout canvas in which is formed square panels inthree rows, five uares' deep, the center panel being markgd with indiciaof height which may be arranged alphabetically, A, B, C, D, E, and theoutside rows may be marked L and R to indicate an inside or outside ballpassing over the plate.

The mantlet, is formed of three sectioiis 4, 4*, 4", the section 4bforming a 45 angle with the central panel 4.-, thus forming a concavedepression in front of the home plate. These mattress panels are lilledwith a semi# elastic material as cotton, tow or the like, the back endof which may be of metal gauze 6 and tlie front face of which ispreferably of a stout canvas such as duch. The central section is drawntaut over an iron framework 7 by lacework 8 so as to afford an elasticmounting to receive the impact of the balls delivery against themantlet.

In noting a pitcher?s qualications on the record sheets, for example onthe tryout order, the name of the manager may be entered on the leftside at the top, the name of the pitcher on the right side, and the dateof test with appropriate indication as to the place and the batter andhis personal equation. The record indicates the character of ballstaken, as to their curvature of delivery and whether high or low, andthe character of a panel for the notation as to the action ofthe batterand his ercentage of eiciency. Such a sheet is un oubtedl of great useto a manager of a team. In igure 6 is another form of record as to aplayers eiliciency, showin that the pla er has acted on straight ballsdelivered at the character of the hit, the ball and whether he struckout, and an additional panel for his percentof the tryout. The lowerpanels of this slgdet indicate the pitchers performance on dierentcharacter of balls.

The mantlet or back stop is of a plurality of sections with the sidesforming a forward angle with the central panel, thus forming a widetarget for a pitcher or thrower and the sectional indicia ianels in thecenter enable any ball delivered to be definitely indicated as to itscharacteristic delivery over the home plate, thus permitting a pitcherto have definite information as to the delivery of his balls instantlyand training him to deliver them at a particular spot hard to be hit bythe better. This instant information delivi,eta,oea

ered by the observer at the mantlet or target will certainly be regardedwith special favor by experienced pitchers as it will be alsoinstructive for beginners. Further, it is for the purpose of testing theaccuracy of'an iniielders throwing at a distance of ft. and 120 ft., andan outfelders throwing at a distance of 250 ft. and 350 ft., but intesting ielders I intend that .the entire face of the target must be theobject to be thrown at, and when the face is hit it shall be called ahit, without regard for any of the letters thereon. Moreover, the chartindicated will form a record invaluable to a manager in a critical stageof the gaine, permitting the pitchers record and even that of theiielders to be governed by secret signals to deliver balls of certaintype as toy curvature of delivery or ata particular part of the targetto embarrass the opposing player. The multiple squares in straight ballsdelivered over the. plate also serve as an effective guide in assistingthe pitcher to direct his aim at a particular indicated panel of thecentral row and to apply to the ball any articular twist directed by themanager. The lay igureor stutied image of the pseudo battermay be variedas to a left hand batter or right hand batter at will, and the'appropriate record of the pitchers performance therewith will prove ofgreat service to the manager of the team.

It will thus be Seen an efficient tryout s etlicienc in a basebal of mar.ed assistance in developing attainnient of excellence in the layersability. My system may or may not accom anied by automaticspring-controlled mec anism to register the swiftness of the balls, butas such devices are of known use no special mechanism therefor is shown.The observer at the target is preferred in my s tem as lie'may instantlycommunicate thee ernsten istics of the impact of the ball and thus instruct or direct the player at once.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimv as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In 'an efficiency apparatus for baseball,an elastic back stop or target to receive the impact of balls thrownover the home plate, said target having parallel tiers of indicia deningthe character of the balls delivered,

that I have provided stem for develo ing player, which wi l be wherebyan observer may chart each ball for a player, and a subsurface inclinedchute terminating in a bowl to catch spent, balls, the other end of thechute terminating in a `depression in the ground for access to thepitcher.

' 2. In an eiiiciency apparatus for baseball, an elastic back stop ortarget to receive the impact of bells thrown over the home plate, aright and left hand stuffed ligure repre eentmg a batsman at the plete,said target having parallel tiers of indicia defining the character ofthe balls delivered, whereby an observer may chart each ball for aplayer, and a subsurface inclined chute terminatin in a bowl to catchspent balls, the other en of the chute terminating in a depression inthe ground for access to the pitcher.

3. In an elhciency apparatus for baseball, an elastic target composed ofmultiple sections the outer sections of which form a forward angle withthe center, the center panel being mattress with a Wire mesh back and aduck front, a lacing between the side sections and center panel topromote flexibility, the center panel having parallel tiers of indiciadefining the direction characteristics of balls delivered, whereby anobserver .may chart each ball delivered by a player, and means forreturning the spent balls 1n an inclined subsurface chute at thepitchers box.` 20

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

JOHN F. STAUFFER.,

